Two foreign nationals fell and were found in critical condition after they went climbing Mt. Fuji that was closed for the winter season.

Police received a report around 3PM on March 9 that the two appeared to have fallen and gone missing near the new seventh station of Mount Fuji in Shizuoka Prefecture.

A rescue team of 25 police and fire personnel launched a search operation.  The search was hampered by poor weather, but rescuers were able to find them around 10:40PM.

A 23-year-old Swedish woman was in critical condition, and a 51-year-old New Zealand man was reported to have suffered serious injuries.

Mount Fuji is currently closed for the winter season, and the hiking trails are blocked off.

Separately, a foreign man fell unconscious and was in critical condition after he got trapped in an avalanche while backcountry skiing in Hokkaido.

According to police, they received a report around 10:30AM that an avalanche occurred at Mt. Kamifurano in Hokkaido, burying one person. 

Officials said that the person caught in the avalanche was a foreign national. His companions who were at the scene dug him out and rescued him.

The man was unconscious and in critical condition.

Police and fire officials stated that the man was part of a group of several people backcountry skiing at the time. 

An avalanche occurred separately on Mt. Kamifurano on March 5. A 44-year-old man from Taiwan, who was part of a group of 15 people, was caught in the avalanche and had to be rescued by helicopter.